Casio CT-S1
$199.99 USD
$174.00 USD
Both the CT-S1 and the CT-X700 are targeted at beginners but there are very different. In this article, I will be making an in-depth comparison between these two keyboards to help you make an informed purchase when looking to buy one of these keyboards.
Design
The CT-S1 costs 15% more than the CT-X700 and you can definitely feel the difference in build quality. The plastic used on the CT-S1 feels more premium and the buttons feel more tactile. While both these keyboards have fabric speaker covers, the one on the CT-S1 is of a higher quality.
The CT-S1 has a more contemporary design and is more compact and portable.
You get a carry handle on the CT-S1 as well as pins for you to attach a guitar strap making the CT-S1 significantly easier to carry around. However, the irony is, the less portable CT-X700 is actually lighter than the CT-S1.
The LCD screen on the CT-X700 makes it easy to maneuver around the different functions as well as see which tone you have selected whereas the CT-S1 does not have an LCD screen and would be great if it has one.
Lastly, You can get the CT-S1 in Black, White, or Red but the CT-X700 is only available in a boring black color.
Sound Quality
The CT-X700 has 600 tones which are significantly more than the 61 tones available on the CT-S1. The tones on the CT-S1 are predominantly pianos, electric pianos, and organs whereas you get a much wider variety of acoustic, synth, and ethnic voices on the CT-X700. Both these keyboards use the exact same latest AiX sound chip from Casio and there are several tones that sound the same if you use headphones.
While both these keyboards have the same speaker size and are powered by the same pair of amplifiers, the sound from the speakers on the CT-S1 sound a little richer and fuller than the CT-X700 due to the Horizontal Bass-Reflex System and surround feature found on the CT-S1 which is not available on the CT-X700.
You can layer the tones on both these keyboards but the CT-X700 does not allow you to set the volume mix of the 2 layers which the CT-S1 can, albeit in a rather cumbersome manner. The CT-X700 can split the keyboard into 2 voices, something the CT-S1 cannot do. However, on the CT-S1, Casio has included a couple of factory preset keyboard split combinations but the volume of the mix and the split point cannot be adjusted
While the CT-S1 has only 61 tones compared to the 600 tones on the CT-X700, quite a number of samples are unique to the CT-S1 and have been cleverly optimized for this keyboard
Key Actions
The key action on the CT-S1 has a better touch response and feels more premium. Key noise is slightly more dampened on the CT-S1 but it is not significantly better than the CT-X700.
The little red felt accent on the CT-S1 is not only stylish but prevents dust from entering the key pivots as well.
Both keyboards have 4 levels of touch sensitivity but the CT-S1 has 64 notes of polyphony versus 48 notes on the CT-X700. If you intend to play heavily sustained, complex piano pieces, the CT-S1 is a better choice
Notable Features
The CT-X700 is not only cheaper, but it also has more features compared to the CT-S1. If you enjoy playing with rhythm accompaniment, the CT-X700 comes with 195 rhythms with the option to add 10 more user accompaniments. While the CT-S1 does not come with any in-built rhythms.
As the CT-S1 does not have any in-built rhythms, you get just 7 user tone memory slots whereas on the CT-X700 you can store up to 32 user registrations.
The CT-X700 comes with a 5 step lesson mode and a chord dictionary feature that the CT-S1 does not have.
Also, on the CT-X700, there are 160 built-in songs that you can play and learn along with.
The CT-S1 has only a single-track, single-song recorder. The CT-X700 has a more functional sequencer. Where you can record up to 6 songs internally and each song can have as many as 6 tracks.
For those who love making electronic dance music, the 100 arpeggiators on the CT-X700 are essential. While both keyboards have class-compliant USB MIDI and can playback external backing tracks via an auxiliary audio-in jack, the CT-S1 gives you the option of going wireless if you purchase the optional Bluetooth Audio & MIDI adapter.
Conclusion
If you predominantly play keyboard-oriented music, such as pianos, electric pianos & organs, and want to be seen with an ultra-portable and stylish instrument with good key action, the CT-S1 is a great choice for you.
If you are an absolute beginner who sees yourself learning to play solo keyboard pieces with a rhythm accompaniment as well as using the on-board lesson mode and you do not foresee yourself carrying your keyboard around much, the CT-X700 is a better choice for you while helping you to save some money.
With an LCD screen, the CT-X700 is also easier to navigate. For those who intend to go for Trinity College London’s Electronic Keyboard certification, the CT-X700 is a better choice as the features of the CT-S1 do not meet the examining board’s requirements.
I hope that this review of the Casio CT-S1 and Casio CT-X700 has been useful for you. Do check out the links provided in this article for the latest updates and prices of the Casio CT-S1 and Casio CT-X700 If these keyboards are not for you, do look at the other articles in this blog to find your ideal instrument. Also, do check out my Piano App and beginner keyboard course available for you.